MONTGOMERY, Alabama -- A former state senator on trial in Alabama's vote-buying case told VictoryLand owner Milton McGregor last year that he'd like to help him with a gambling bill and "would probably need a bunch of help" in his campaign.

"There is nothing I want to do more than help you," Larry Means told McGregor on a call recorded by FBI wiretaps March 22, 2010. Means added that he was facing a tough Republican opponent in his upcoming election.

"I'm going to probably need a bunch of help," Means, a Democrat from Attalla, told McGregor.

Prosecutors on Thursday played for jurors McGregor's phone calls as he searched for support in the days leading up to a March 30, 2010, Senate vote on a bill that could have allowed his bingo casino to stay open. Many of the calls focused on trying to win the votes of Means and former Sen. Jim Preuitt, R-Talladega.

In another call, a supporter of the bill, Sen. Quinton Ross, D-Montgomery, sought a donation from McGregor just hours before the vote.

McGregor lawyer Joe Espy after court said the conversations show nothing criminal.

"You could have taken the telephone calls between him and Senator Larry Means and him and Senator Quinton Ross and played them in any civics class in any high school in the state of Alabama and it would have been a good lesson in politics. There was not one thing that was wrong with it," Espy said.

McGregor, Means, Preuitt, Ross and five others are accused of participating in a conspiracy to buy and sell votes for a gambling bill aimed at allowing several casinos to operate electronic bingo machines. Prosecutors allege McGregor and others offered campaign contributions and business opportunities in exchange for legislators' votes on the bill.

In several calls played in court, McGregor said he must have Preuitt's vote to pass the bill. McGregor told lobbyist Tom Coker to focus on Preuitt like "a laser beam" and directed him to try to "close the deal" with Preuitt.

Coker, also a defendant in the case, later reported back to McGregor that he was "99 percent sure" Preuitt would vote for the bill and said Ronnie Gilley, owner of the now-defunct Country Crossing entertainment and bingo facility, should get credit for putting the "icing on the cake."

Gilley, who pleaded guilty and is testifying for prosecutors, said earlier in the trial that he promised Preuitt he would bring in country music stars for his campaign if Preuitt would vote for the bill. Prosecutors did not have a tape of that call, which Gilley said was made on a prepaid cell phone.

Gilley also told Country Crossing spokesman Jay Walker that he could buy a fleet of trucks from Preuitt when he went to talk to him about the bill. Walker's defense attorney has contended that was a joke.

In another conversation, McGregor tried to see if he could do away with some of Preuitt's election-year opposition.

McGregor asked AEA chief Paul Hubbert if he would not oppose Preuitt in his election.

McGregor said Preuitt, a Republican from Talladega, indicated to Coker that he wasn't "comfortable" voting for a bill that would benefit AEA. The bill steered much of the proceeds from bingo to education, and AEA had opposed Preuitt.

McGregor said Preuitt indicated he would become comfortable, "if Dr. Hubbert will commit to be neutral" in his race.

Hubbert told McGregor that he would think about it and get back to Coker or Preuitt, but his priority had to be the state education budget.

Means and Preuitt did not vote with casino owners on a March 3 procedural vote, called a Budget Isolation Resolution, that would bring the bill up for debate. Means didn't vote and Preuitt voted no. Preuitt and Means ended up voting for the bill when it passed the Senate.

Prosecutors also played a recording of Ross hitting up McGregor for a campaign donation on the day of the Senate vote.

Ross told McGregor he appreciated his help in the past and asks if he can "help me out some more."

"I did my thing in December," McGregor responded, referring to campaign donations. Ross insisted that the "window is closing fast" and said he would appreciate any donation.

Ross attorney Lewis Gillis said after court that Ross, who had sponsored the gambling legislation in the past, was trying to raise money because he thought he would have an opponent in the election.

"It's a waste of money to buy his vote, (Ross) has always been a yes vote," Gillis said.

Many of the calls played in court demonstrate McGregor's frustration at initially being short on votes for the bill.

"It's ... disgusting," McGregor told lobbyist Bob Geddie.

"It's a survival bill for us, for me," McGregor said.

McGregor also called then-Gov. Bob Riley's efforts to shut down the casinos something out of "Nazi Germany."

Prosecutors and defense lawyers squabbled throughout the day Thursday. Coker lawyer Bill Baxley repeatedly objected to prosecutors playing only clips of calls, rather than the full conversations.

McGregor's defense also accused prosecutors of trying to make jurors dislike McGregor for being wealthy. Prosecutors tried to submit as evidence a hotel bill from the Bellagio in Las Vegas to prove McGregor was out of state when he made certain calls.

A prosecutor said the bill showed $20,000 in gambling losses. After court, Joe Espy said that was "no slip" by prosecutors. Espy said he wasn't sure if the prosecutor's description was accurate. Espy said the trip was a spring break excursion with McGregor's grandchildren.

The judge directed prosecutors to find another way to show McGregor had been in Las Vegas.